Upland Coal & Coke Company - By Buddy French
The Upland Coal & Coke Company was incorporated by John and Samual Crozer, Dec. 17, 1890 and was assigned 1,374 acres of coal in the No.3 Pocahontas seam that measured seven feet, three inches thick. The coal company initially had a large "coking" operation with a total of 232 coke ovens, but they were shut down in 1919 when the steel mills began coking the coal. The mining complex and its community were located in the Elkhorn Valley of McDowell County West Virginia. The coal company and the community were named for Upland, Pennsylvania which was the hometown of the Crozer family.
The coal company's original wooden coal tipple had become antiquated and was replaced with a new steel tipple in 1923. In 1943 and after being in operation for fifty-three years, the coal seam had been mined out and the mining complex was shut down. The tipple and a coal conveyor structure crossing over Rt.52 remained abandoned for many years before being torn down circa 1970.
The Upland coal camp community had well-constructed homes for that era of the late 1800's. Centrally located in the community was a large well-stocked company store. The heart of the community was located on both sides of highway route 8 that later became route 52. Many of those homes that were built in the 1890's are still occupied today.
More information concerning the Upland Coal & Coke Company can be found in "Billion Dollar Coalfield" by Alex Schust.
Upland Coal and Coke Company operated the Upland coal mines from 1891 until 1943. Like other coal mining towns along this part of Elkhorn Creek, there was a beehive coke plant located at Upland. The coke ovens went cold in 1919. Apparently the Crozer Coal & Coke Co., from neighboring Elkhorn, W.Va., ran the Upland mine for a short time in 1943 to 1945. In 1945 the railroad siding was removed, and that was the end of coal mining at Upland, West Virginia.
Upland Coal and Coke Company operated the Upland coal mines from 1891 until 1943. Like other coal mining towns along this part of Elkhorn Creek, there was a beehive coke plant located at Upland. The coke ovens went cold in 1919. Apparently the Crozer Coal & Coke Co., from neighboring Elkhorn, W.Va., ran the Upland mine for a short time in 1943 to 1945. In 1945 the railroad siding was removed, and that was the end of coal mining at Upland, West Virginia.
